Gujarat hits BJP in J-K, 4 leaders quit

The resignations of Ghulam Nabi Tak, BJP national executive member, and Doda unit leaders Khurshid Ahmed Misgar, Aizaz Karim Bhat and Gian Chand have been sent by fax to A.B. Vajpayee and BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy.

Copies have been sent to D.K. Kotwal, state president, and Chaman Lal Gupta, Union Minister of State for Food Processing.

Contacted on telephone, Tak said from Doda: ‘‘Gujarat ke masle se tamam musalman khilaf ho gaye. PM sahib ne Goa mein musalmanon ke khilaf bol diya. Isliye ham party chhod rahe hein.’’

The joint resignation letter says ‘‘the pseudo-secular face of the Prime Minister got exposed by his recent utterances in Goa, and his support for the Gujarat Chief Minister is nothing less than a big pat for the successful execution of the devilish deeds in the state’’.

‘‘The decision to sever our relationship with the party has not only been prompted by what has happened with the minority community in Gujarat but our realisation that the BJP has failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people and safeguard the rights of the minorities and the Dalits,’’ the letter says.

Karim Bhat said he was threatened by the militants on joining the BJP four 6 years ago. ‘‘We raised the party in this strife-torn district. But the situation in Gujarat and the Prime Minister’s remarks are more horrible than the militants’ threats.’’

State BJP secretary Kashmir Singh, however, denied any information on the four resignations but said it was unfortunate if it is true.

Sources in the J-K BJP, however, claimed that the four leaders had resigned under pressure from the militants and it has nothing to do with the PM’s remarks.

Abdul Rashid Kabuli, senior state vice president, and Faiz Ahmed had resigned last month.